Book Suggestion

[taloshield]

I am looking to start a new fantasy series. I want to read a series as good as the Realm of the Elderlings, from an author who writes as well as Robin Hobb. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I would prefer something origional and well developed. Thanks for the help!

['thul]

Have you read David & Leigh Eddings?

these beings recommend all their books...

One warning though... The books are addictive...

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Ah, recommendation threads. They never get old, do they?

My number one favorite fantasy series is A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. If you're at all familiar with fantasy, you've probably heard of it. It consists of some very thick novels but I have to warn you, it's not finished yet, and mr. Martin's writing pace has slowed considerably over the years. It's a very gritty, realistic and hard-edged story with comparetively little magic. (But it's not absent - the dragon on the cover of the first book might tip you off.) So far the series includes:

1. A Game of Thrones
2. A Clash of Kings
3. A Storm of Swords (This book is so long that the UK publication has been split in two: Steel and Snow and Blood and Gold.)
4. A Feast for Crows
5. A Dance with Dragons (Forthcoming sometime...)
And there will be a sixth and seventh book too.

Martin has also written a load of short stories and some stand-alone novels. Escpecially Fevre Dream comes very highly recommended.

[redchild]

I've read and loved Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials. It's marketed to a children/YA audience but I find it quite subversive (and addicting.) The trilogy is already complete so you won't have to agonize over waiting for the next book *cough*GRR Martin*cough*

['thul]

That is true. That is also the reason these beings have avoided reading "wheel of time" so far. They intend to wait reading it till it is actually fully written.

The various series by the two authors 'thul mentioned are also all finished... (unfortunately, there wont be more books by them... These beings just discovered that the authors are both dead... )

[Mervi]

Moved this topic from the RotE forum.

[joost]

If you like the anti-hero aspect of the Hobb books, you should try the Thomas Covenant books by Stephen Donaldson.

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Oh yeah, Covenant is quite good. Which reminds me that I still have to get to the second chronicles...

[Mervi]

Some of my favourites (as well as genre classics) are

- The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. The parts are

1. The Book of Three
   
2. The Black Cauldron
   
3. The Castle of Llyr
   
4. Taran Wanderer
   
5. The High King
   

The series draws on Welsh mythology, so if you're familiar with the Mabinogion, you'll recognize some names and ideas, but it's not a retelling of those myths. The Disney animated film "The Black Cauldron" was based on the first two books (the movie itself does have some merits IMHO, but it's nothing like the books).


- the Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper.

1. Over Sea, Under Stone
   
2. The Dark Is Rising
   
3. Greenwitch
   
4. The Grey King
   
5. Silver on the Tree
   

Like the Prydain books, these are often classified as YA, but I still enjoy them tremendously. (Then again, I first read them as a kid. They might be different for those who first visit those worlds as adults.) Especially the first part of DiR might feel a lot like a children's book. Many people say that it's better to start with the second part of the series (The Dark Is Rising) and then go back to the first part (they deal with different plots/protagonists that will meet only later in the series so it doesn't matter if you read those first two out of order). The series borrows from Arthurian and Celtic myths, but takes place in our world. (You can actually visit many of the places!) The film "adapation" of the second book doesn't even really deserve a mention.


- the Earthsea books by Ursula LeGuin

1. A Wizard of Earthsea
   
2. The Tombs of Atuan
   
3. The Farthest Shore
   
4. Tehanu
   
5. Tales from Earthsea (There are also a few other related short stories not published in "Tales")
   
6. The Other Wind
   

LeGuin has some quite original ideas (although they might not feel like that anymore, it's easy to forget the first part is from the sixties when we didn't have Harry Potter and all the other "young boy goes to wizarding school" stories) and some really magnificent dragons (and I'm very picky with those. )
There was a miniseries based on the first two books: I've seen it and it has SO little to do with anything in the books - except names, and they even got those wrong (names are really important in this world, the magic the wizards use is all based on knowing the names of things). I've not seen the anime based on the first part, so can't comment on that.

And here are some slyly places affiliate links for purchasing the aforementioned books.
The Dark Is Rising (all parts in one hardback), Chronicles of Prydain: The Book of Three (the boxed set seems to be out of print, but you'll find the rest of the series listed on that page as well) and first 4 Earthsea books omnibus.

[joost]

The anime is a combination of The farthest shore and Tehanu (my favourite and least favourite book of the Earthsea). It's a decent movie, but don't expect too much. It's actually my least favourite Ghibli movie, (perhaps) because I'm familiar with the story it was based on.

The miniseries was atrocious. I watched it once and then gave it away, because I loathed the thing. The mixup between Ged and Sparrowhawk is just plain stupid of the writers.